Google's taking a big leap with Google TV -- unlike its competitors, who've all focused on delivering curated video content with inexpensive streaming devices, Google's new platform brings Android, Chrome, and Flash directly to your TV in a variety of hardware configurations from Sony and Logitech. But whether you're adding Google TV to your existing rig with a Logitech Revue or starting from scratch with a Sony Internet TV, the basic experience of using each product is the same -- it's the web on your TV, in all its chaotic and beautiful glory. Is this the future of television? Can Google do what no company has ever managed to do in the past and put a little PC in your TV?

The Google TV platform

Although all of the Google TV launch devices have their differences, at their core they're all running Android on an Intel CE4100 media processor, which is essentially a 1.2GHz Atom core that's been beefed up with some extra graphics hardware capable of capturing and decoding 1080p video. Google tells us the Intel chip offers the best price / performance ratio right now, but that nothing's written in stone for the future -- just like modern smartphones kicked off furious innovation in the mobile chipset market, Google expects the media-chip market to rapidly become more competitive in the future in response to connected TV devices. But for right now it's Atom, which is a big win for Intel in this space -- and in fact, Intel claims to have written half of Google TV's code.

Obviously, the Android build used for Google TV isn't the same as what's used on phones -- in fact, unlike the phone version of Android, the Google TV stack is still proprietary within Google and hasn't been open-sourced yet. We're told the plan is to open-source things by summer 2011, and that Google TV will follow the same model as Android and the Google apps on phones, with some Google-specific TV apps remaining closed-source and not part of the general distribution. We'd guess Google TV Marketplace will be restricted to Google-blessed devices, but it hasn't launched yet, so we don't know for sure.

Speaking of Marketplace and the fact it hasn't launched... well, it hasn't launched. Google says it's still putting the appropriate APIs together and cleaning up the platform requirements so that app developers will have an easier time of things, but don't expect to see any apps on Google TV until early next year at the soonest. We're honestly extremely curious and excited to see what app developers can do once they can write Android apps for a reasonably quick processor and TV screen sizes, but that's all just potential right now -- at launch, Google TV devices ship with handful of bundled apps like Netflix, NBA GameTime, and (thrillingly) CNBC Real Time, but that's it. We'll revisit Google TV once there are more apps, but for now this part of the platform and the experience is a question mark.
It's more than easy to see Google TV as one large bet on Flash content delivery, at least in the short term.

And finally -- and most importantly -- there's Chrome and Flash. Google's using a new Android- and TV-specific port of its desktop browser on Google TV, and yes, friends, it runs Flash 10.1 beta. In fact, from a broad perspective it's more than easy to see Google TV as one large bet on Flash content delivery, at least in the short term -- almost everything you're navigating to in Chrome is a Flash video. For example, Google's own YouTube -- one of the first sites to provide HTML5 video playback -- loads up its Flash player on Google TV, because that's the only way Google can serve ads during the content. Seriously -- that's what Google told us. YouTube LeanBack, the TV-optimized version of YouTube, is also Flash-based, presumably for the same reason. Obviously things will change once there are apps and possibly more robust HTML5 video solutions, but right now Google TV is an extremely Flash-intensive product.

During a CEO panel at Google IO, Google CEO Eric Schmidt hosted a panel with CEOs from Best Buy, Dish Network, Logitech, Adobe, Sony and Intel. Here, Intel CEO talks about the system on a chip performance from the Intel Atom processor named CE4100. Best Buy CEO talks about the consumer shopping experience and the excitement around Smart TVs that are connected to the Internet.

YouTube seems to be waking up to competition, finally. With Hulu and Netflix now offering full length TV shows and movies, YouTube has made it official that it would be doing away with the 15-minute limit on uploaded videos, at least for a set of users.

The decision may be seen as significant considering that Google is fast gearing up for streaming videos through its much hyped Google TV.

When the new decision takes effect, at least a sub set of users will be able to host longer videos.

This could mean that full lectures or seminars, films and the like that would run longer periods will be able to be posted on to YouTube.

I'm totally digg'in it...I got my email this morning about my limit being lifted, and now I can post the original, unedited versions of my vids. I'm stoked! Pissed that I have to re-upload so much, but stoked! LOL!

Working demonstration of World of Warcraft playing on Google TV, made possible by GameString Adrenalin remote play technology. Install the GameString Adrenalin host server on your gaming PC, and you (and your friends) can then play and share your gaming collection remotely from a Google TV, a Windows/Mac computer or an iPhone/iPad/Android mobile device! Full news release: gamestring.com For more information, or to sign up for the public beta, visit: adrenalin.gamestring.com Soundtrack Voodoo People [Pendulum Mix] by The Prodigy

This is Google TV. I am more than grateful to the team at Google for sending this unit to me, and for showing me how I can help all of YOU win one for yourself. I have to tell you - this piece of hardware is simply stunning. The quality is far beyond what I had expected. Besides, what could be cooler than watching YouTube videos on a big screen television?

Anthony goes to Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA to find out all about the Sony Internet TV with Google TV. We find out all about the Google TV platform and how the Sony Internet TV packs it all into a single HDTV with no additional hardware needed.

The Logitech Review. Works with your existing HDTV and cable or satellite system to provide seamless access to the Web your TV compatible DVRs and Android apps. Searches and controls with an intuitive key board controller with built-in touch pad so you can do things you can't easily do with a remote. Lets you search and enjoy content from multiple sources without switching devices inputs or rooms. See content from the Web and TV simultaneously with Dual View. Always up to date with free automatic over-the-air updates that add new features and functionality to your system. Requires an HDTV with HDMI port cable or satellite box with HDMI out cable or satellite subscriptions service and high-speed Internet access. Purchase a floating shelf for conveniently placing the Review and hiding the cords when connecting to your tv. The floating shelf also makes an ideal place to store the keyboard when not in use.

http://dan-ohara.com - Learn about Google TV, techniques for video delivery and specifics about the Logitech Revue and Sony Internet TV devices. Also learn about the Boxee Box, Tivo Premiere and Apple TV.

This is part 1 of a 6 part series presented by Dan O'Hara to the Bay Area Professional Videographers Association ( http://bapva.com ). For more information check out the entire video and blog post at http://www.dan-ohara.com